Try an audiobook on us

North and South

People who bought this also bought...

Cranford

By:
Elizabeth Gaskell

Narrated by:
Prunella Scales

Length: 6 hrs and 45 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
241

Performance

5 out of 5 stars
184

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
183

A vivid and affectionate portrait of the residents of an English country town in the mid-19th century,
Cranford describes a community dominated by its independent and refined women, relating the adventures of Miss Matty and Miss Deborah, two middle-aged spinster sisters striving to live with dignity in reduced circumstances. Through a series of satirical vignettes, Gaskell sympathetically portrays changing small town customs and values in mid-Victorian England....

5 out of 5 stars

Best Cranford Reading!

By
Sharon
on
26-05-09

Wives and Daughters

By:
Elizabeth Gaskell

Narrated by:
Prunella Scales

Length: 25 hrs and 21 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
309

Performance

5 out of 5 stars
244

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
241

Molly Gibson, the only daughter of a widowed doctor in the small provincial town of Hollingford, lost her mother when she was a child. Her father remarries wanting to give Molly the woman's presence he feels she lacks. To Molly, any stepmother would have been a shock, but the new Mrs. Gibson is a self-absorbed, petty widow, and Molly's unhappiness is compounded by the realisation that her father has come to regret his second marriage.

5 out of 5 stars

Just brilliant

By
Sharon
on
19-11-07

Mary Barton

A Tale of Manchester Life

By:
Elizabeth Gaskell

Narrated by:
Juliet Stevenson

Length: 16 hrs and 17 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
155

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
124

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
126

Elizabeth Gaskell's remarkable first novel, Mary Barton: A Tale of Manchester Life portrays a love that defies the rigid boundaries of class with tragic consequences.

Brought to life by Emma Thompson

The Way We Live Now

By:
Anthony Trollope

Narrated by:
Timothy West

Length: 32 hrs and 25 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
610

Performance

5 out of 5 stars
449

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
441

In this world of bribes, vendettas, and swindling, in which heiresses are gambled and won, Trollope's characters embody all the vices: Lady Carbury is 'false from head to foot'; her son Felix has 'the instincts of a horse, not approaching the higher sympathies of a dog'; and Melmotte - the colossal figure who dominates the book - is a 'horrid, big, rich scoundrel...a bloated swindler...a vile city ruffian'. But as vile as he is, he is considered one of Trollope's greatest creations.

5 out of 5 stars

Fantastic! Fantastic!

By
Sharon
on
15-11-09

Jane Eyre

By:
Charlotte Bronte

Narrated by:
Thandie Newton

Length: 19 hrs and 10 mins

Unabridged

Overall

5 out of 5 stars
1,080

Performance

5 out of 5 stars
994

Story

5 out of 5 stars
993

Following Jane from her childhood as an orphan in Northern England through her experience as a governess at Thornfield Hall, Charlotte Brontë's Gothic classic is an early exploration of women's independence in the mid-19th century and the pervasive societal challenges women had to endure. At Thornfield, Jane meets the complex and mysterious Mr. Rochester, with whom she shares a complicated relationship that ultimately forces her to reconcile the conflicting passions of romantic love and religious piety.

5 out of 5 stars

A beautiful audiobook!!

By
Philip
on
13-02-17

Cranford

By:
Elizabeth Gaskell

Narrated by:
Prunella Scales

Length: 6 hrs and 45 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
241

Performance

5 out of 5 stars
184

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
183

A vivid and affectionate portrait of the residents of an English country town in the mid-19th century,
Cranford describes a community dominated by its independent and refined women, relating the adventures of Miss Matty and Miss Deborah, two middle-aged spinster sisters striving to live with dignity in reduced circumstances. Through a series of satirical vignettes, Gaskell sympathetically portrays changing small town customs and values in mid-Victorian England....

5 out of 5 stars

Best Cranford Reading!

By
Sharon
on
26-05-09

Wives and Daughters

By:
Elizabeth Gaskell

Narrated by:
Prunella Scales

Length: 25 hrs and 21 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
309

Performance

5 out of 5 stars
244

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
241

Molly Gibson, the only daughter of a widowed doctor in the small provincial town of Hollingford, lost her mother when she was a child. Her father remarries wanting to give Molly the woman's presence he feels she lacks. To Molly, any stepmother would have been a shock, but the new Mrs. Gibson is a self-absorbed, petty widow, and Molly's unhappiness is compounded by the realisation that her father has come to regret his second marriage.

5 out of 5 stars

Just brilliant

By
Sharon
on
19-11-07

Mary Barton

A Tale of Manchester Life

By:
Elizabeth Gaskell

Narrated by:
Juliet Stevenson

Length: 16 hrs and 17 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
155

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
124

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
126

Elizabeth Gaskell's remarkable first novel, Mary Barton: A Tale of Manchester Life portrays a love that defies the rigid boundaries of class with tragic consequences.

Brought to life by Emma Thompson

The Way We Live Now

By:
Anthony Trollope

Narrated by:
Timothy West

Length: 32 hrs and 25 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
610

Performance

5 out of 5 stars
449

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
441

In this world of bribes, vendettas, and swindling, in which heiresses are gambled and won, Trollope's characters embody all the vices: Lady Carbury is 'false from head to foot'; her son Felix has 'the instincts of a horse, not approaching the higher sympathies of a dog'; and Melmotte - the colossal figure who dominates the book - is a 'horrid, big, rich scoundrel...a bloated swindler...a vile city ruffian'. But as vile as he is, he is considered one of Trollope's greatest creations.

5 out of 5 stars

Fantastic! Fantastic!

By
Sharon
on
15-11-09

Jane Eyre

By:
Charlotte Bronte

Narrated by:
Thandie Newton

Length: 19 hrs and 10 mins

Unabridged

Overall

5 out of 5 stars
1,080

Performance

5 out of 5 stars
994

Story

5 out of 5 stars
993

Following Jane from her childhood as an orphan in Northern England through her experience as a governess at Thornfield Hall, Charlotte Brontë's Gothic classic is an early exploration of women's independence in the mid-19th century and the pervasive societal challenges women had to endure. At Thornfield, Jane meets the complex and mysterious Mr. Rochester, with whom she shares a complicated relationship that ultimately forces her to reconcile the conflicting passions of romantic love and religious piety.

5 out of 5 stars

A beautiful audiobook!!

By
Philip
on
13-02-17

Persuasion

By:
Jane Austen

Narrated by:
Juliet Stevenson

Length: 8 hrs and 43 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
841

Performance

5 out of 5 stars
688

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
683

Anne Elliot has grieved for seven years over the loss of her first love, Captain Frederick Wentworth. But events conspire to unravel the knots of deceit and misunderstanding in this beguiling and gently comic story of love and fidelity.

4 out of 5 stars

Persuaded.

By
M
on
18-10-13

Ruth

By:
Elizabeth Gaskell

Narrated by:
Eve Matheson

Length: 16 hrs and 50 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4 out of 5 stars
99

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
66

Story

4 out of 5 stars
68

The orphaned heroine Ruth, apprenticed to a dressmaker, is seduced by wealthy Henry Bellingham who is captivated by her simplicity and beauty. Their affair causes her to lose her home and job to which he offers her shelter, only to cruelly abandon her soon after. She is offered a chance of a new life though shamed in the eyes of society by her illegitimate son. When Henry reappears offering marriage she must choose between social acceptance and her own pride.

4 out of 5 stars

The

By
Lisa
on
10-02-09

The Woman in White

By:
Wilkie Collins

Narrated by:
Ian Holm

Length: 24 hrs and 37 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
822

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
703

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
700

Late one moonlit night, Walter Hartright encounters a solitary and terrified woman dressed all in white. He saves her from capture by her pursuers and determines to solve the mystery of her distress and terror. Inspired by an actual criminal case, this gripping tale of murder, intrigue, madness and mistaken identity has never been out of print since its publication and brought Collins great fame and success.

5 out of 5 stars

Fantastic

By
Anthony
on
13-01-11

Emma [Naxos]

By:
Jane Austen

Narrated by:
Juliet Stevenson

Length: 16 hrs and 39 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
549

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
445

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
443

One of Jane Austen's most popular novels. Arrogant, self-willed, and egotistical, Emma is her most unusual heroine.

5 out of 5 stars

Lively and fresh

By
Kirsten
on
04-09-12

Middlemarch

By:
George Eliot

Narrated by:
Juliet Stevenson

Length: 35 hrs and 38 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
1,229

Performance

5 out of 5 stars
985

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
980

Dorothea Brooke is an ardent idealist who represses her vivacity and intelligence for the cold, theological pedant Casaubon. One man understands her true nature: the artist Will Ladislaw. But how can love triumph against her sense of duty and Casaubon’s mean spirit? Meanwhile, in the little world of Middlemarch, the broader world is mirrored: the world of politics, social change, and reforms, as well as betrayal, greed, blackmail, ambition, and disappointment.

5 out of 5 stars

All consuming

By
Caro
on
27-04-11

Vanity Fair

By:
William Makepeace Thackeray

Narrated by:
John Castle

Length: 31 hrs and 1 min

Unabridged

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
348

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
272

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
266

Set during the time of the Napoleonic Wars, this classic gives a satirical picture of a worldly society. The novel revolves around the exploits of the impoverished but beautiful and devious Becky Sharp who craves wealth and a position in society. Calculating and determined to succeed, she charms, deceives and manipulates everyone she meets. A novel of early 19th-century English society, it takes its title from the place designated as the centre of human corruption in John Bunyan's 17th-century allegory.

5 out of 5 stars

A glorious romp of a novel!

By
Clare
on
24-08-09

The Tenant of Wildfell Hall

By:
Anne Brontë

Narrated by:
Alex Jennings,
Jenny Agutter

Length: 16 hrs and 21 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
199

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
154

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
155

The story of a woman's struggle for independence from an abusive husband. Helen 'Graham' has returned to Wildfell Hall in flight from a disastrous marriage and to protect her young son from the influence of his father. Exiled to the desolate moorland mansion, she adopts an assumed name and earns her living as a painter. Gilbert Markham, a local man intrigued by the beautiful young 'widow' offers his friendship but becomes distrustful when her reclusive behaviour sparks rumours and speculation.

4 out of 5 stars

The Tenant of Wildfell Hall

By
Sally
on
18-10-09

The Return of the Native

By:
Thomas Hardy

Narrated by:
Alan Rickman

Length: 15 hrs and 12 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
292

Performance

5 out of 5 stars
239

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
242

Set on Egdon Heath, a fictional barren moor in Wessex, Eustacia Vye longs for the excitement of city life but is cut off from the world in her grandfather's lonely cottage. Clym Yeobright who has returned to the area to become a schoolmaster seems to offer everything she dreams of: passion, excitement and the opportunity to escape. However, Clym's ambitions are quite different, and marriage only increases Eustacia's destructive restlessness, drawing others into a tangled web of deceit and unhappiness.

5 out of 5 stars

Marvellous.

By
Pauline
on
17-08-11

Cousin Phillis

By:
Elizabeth Gaskell

Narrated by:
Claire Walsh

Length: 3 hrs and 44 mins

Unabridged

Overall

2 out of 5 stars
3

Performance

2 out of 5 stars
3

Story

3.5 out of 5 stars
3

"Cousin Phillis" (1864) is a novel by Elizabeth Gaskell about Paul Manning, a youth of seventeen who moves to the country and befriends his mother's family and his second cousin Phillis Holman, who is confused by her own placement at the edge of adolescence. Most critics agree that Cousin Phillis is Gaskell's crowning achievement in the short novel. The story is uncomplicated; its virtues are in the manner of its development and telling.

1 out of 5 stars

Disappointing Narration

By
Jo
on
13-01-19

Tess of the D'Urbervilles

By:
Thomas Hardy

Narrated by:
Peter Firth

Length: 14 hrs and 27 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
511

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
444

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
436

When John Durbeyfield discovers a family connection to the ancient Norman family, the D'Urbervilles, the fate of daughter Tess is transformed. Sent by her ambitious parents to visit her wealthy D'Urberville cousins, Tess attracts the attention of the unscrupulous Alec. Seduced and discarded by him and alone in the world, she finds work as a milkmaid and the love of Angel Clare. Yet his love cannot accept the truth about Tess's past.

4 out of 5 stars

Peter Firth's narration was excellent.

By
D. J. C
on
06-10-15

Can You Forgive Her?

By:
Anthony Trollope

Narrated by:
Timothy West

Length: 28 hrs and 8 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
378

Performance

5 out of 5 stars
276

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
277

Can You Forgive Her? is the first of the six in the Palliser series. Trollope inextricably binds together the issues of parliamentary election and marriage, of politics and privacy. The values and aspirations of the governing stratum of Victorian society are ruthlessly examined, and none remains unscathed. But above all Trollope focuses on the predicament of women. 'What should a woman do with her life?' asks Alice Vavasor of herself, and this theme is echoed by every other woman in the audiobook.

5 out of 5 stars

Hooray! Hooray! Hooray!

By
Sharon
on
08-03-10

Mansfield Park

By:
Jane Austen

Narrated by:
P J Morgan,
Becca Maggie,
Russell Gold,
and others

Length: 15 hrs and 26 mins

Unabridged

Overall

3 out of 5 stars
1

Performance

2 out of 5 stars
1

Story

5 out of 5 stars
1

Mansfield Park is the third published and perhaps most subtle of Jane Austen's novels. It tells the story of Fanny Price, who, at the age of 10, is sent from her impoverished household to live with her wealthy aunt and uncle and be raised alongside her cousins. Fanny grows up as a misfit, not truly a member of the Bertram family, but too genteel to feel comfortable with her parents.

3 out of 5 stars

Sorry, not my cup of tea

By
JC
on
12-01-19

Summary

This is the story of Margaret Hale, a young English woman who accompanies her family's move from rural southern England to the industrial north. It proves to be a difficult change, with all the attendant social conflicts and cultural misunderstandings consequent to such situations. It is a study in contrasts. Mrs. Gaskell created one of the Victorian era's greatest heroines in Margaret Hale, a young lady of passionate intensity. Always filled with a fiery sense of justice, she feels herself, nevertheless, spiritually isolated from society.

Margaret finds her new surroundings shocking. Though appalled by the dirt, noise and the gruffness of the mercantile city, she reserves her greatest contempt for the mill owners themselves. When charismatic mill owner John Thornton begins to take classics lessons from her father, Margaret's distaste for this vulgar "new class" of industrial magnates crystallizes.

Over time, Margaret's opinion of the mill workers begins to soften, though not toward the owners - which makes her strange attraction to John Thornton all the more remarkable. The wrenching series of labor problems and deaths that occur as the story progresses serves as a background to the inner struggles Margaret endures...the turmoil of private family life in contrast to the struggle against the overt poverty and deprivation she witnesses around her.

Listen to one of the greatest of all Victorian novels and let the artistry of Elizabeth Gaskell sweep you away to another time and place. Considered her finest work, North and South will keep you listening breathlessly to the very end.

Dreadful narrator

Struggled through five chapters before giving up and buying another version(Juliet Stevenson's model version). Slow diction, laboured, hopeless attempts at accents and female voices.... By far the worst of many books that I have bought from audible, 90% of which are so good.

Disappointing Performance

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

No. I, like others, am unable to listen to this version through to completion. Although I love the story the performance is so dreadful it has spoiled the whole experience.

How did the narrator detract from the book?

The narrator's voice characterisations were unsuitable to the characters.

Any additional comments?

If you are considering purchasing this book, pick another version.

Sort by:

Overall

5 out of 5 stars

Cariola

11-06-08

An Awesome Classic

I loved the BBC dramatization and decided to give the audiobook a go. It's an amazing book. Much more than a love story, it gives a contrasting picture of two Victorian worlds: upper middle class London and the working class North. Gaskell creates complex, believable characters and raises questions about social inequity in the Industrial Revoluation. A wonderful listening experience.

10 of 10 people found this review helpful

Overall

3 out of 5 stars

Roni

23-02-08

Great Literature, OK Reader

I enjoy reading old novels such as this, as it always gives an interesting perspective on what life was like - more than a simple history textbook can do. And this novel is no exception. Gaskell's writing delves really into the thought processes of her characters. Occasionally this piece can be a little too melodramatic for my tastes, but that does come with the territory of being a 19th C social novel. Overall, I highly enjoyed the work and would recommend it to anyone how enjoys this genre.

My only negative comment is that the narrator is - more often than not - too dragging to enjoy getting into the work. He specializes is reading classic literature (as I surmise from his list of credits) but his need to emphasize every word or sentence is quite draggy and often made me tune out his monotonous voice. I felt that he captured the essence of the older characters such as Mr. Hale or Mr. Bell; but his other characters did not have the right kind of energy for me. Be wary of this reader, unless you prefer long, drawn out readings and a performance that often did not feel like it lived up to the author's intended conveyance of her words.

Also, on a technical note about the reader, I felt that during long passages of dialog, the characters' voices were not consistent. This is my opinion - as one who deals with sound professionally - so please take or leave this criticism.

9 of 11 people found this review helpful

Overall

1 out of 5 stars

M

27-06-09

Another review ref. the reader

Have listened to a lot of audiobooks but, while I know some listeners really enjoyed it, I am afraid I too couldn't get past the style and voice of the reader. His over-articulated words seems so ponderous and really very dreary (same for A Christmas Carol) I have set it aside and will read it on paper instead. Look forward to Anton Lessor, Simon Prebble, Simon Vance or Mandy Weston reading this!!!

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Overall

5 out of 5 stars

C. Liddiard

23-05-08

Recommended

Fans of Jane Austen, Dickens or George Eliot will enjoy this story. Mr. Thornton isn't Mr. Darcy - but he comes pretty close. Once you get used to the annoying falsetto simpering voice the reader uses for Margaret Hale and the unusual intonation he uses for chapter headings, the story makes you forget the shortcomings of the narration.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Overall

3 out of 5 stars

Adrienne

22-03-09

Reader Disaster

I finished this book, but there were times when I really was tempted to stop. It was an interesting tale, but the main problem with the recording is the reader. I had listened a bit before I bought, but the part I heard was a male voice, the problem was when the reader had to use a female voice. I was really relieved when one character died so that I didn't have to hear him speak for her anymore. A reader really can make or break a book, and I would say this reader almost ruined a classic.

4 of 5 people found this review helpful

Overall

3 out of 5 stars

connie

23-01-08

I wanted to like it, but...

I really <b>wanted</b> to like this novel: <i>Pride and Prejudice</i> tries to meet <i>Shirley</i> in George Eliot's England, but Gaskell isn't Austen or a Bronte or Eliot. Worse--the narrator (who must otherwise be competent since he's credited with 96 books on this site) reads the text as if it's Dr. Seuss.

If you're running out of 19th century novels and must download this, at least get the Nadia May vesion. I think her narration (or any woman's voice) would draw less attention to the novel's flaws.

I still give it three stars - I'm not sure why!

10 of 14 people found this review helpful

Overall

5 out of 5 stars

Kelly

26-08-09

I inhaled this book

I have listened to many audiobooks that I enjoyed and would recommend, but I still noticed every effortful 30 min or hour that went by. Those books were work to get through. This book I inhaled! I enjoyed every minute, looked forward to listening every day, and got anxious when I was too busy with other things to have time for the audiobook. I'm not sure why this book enthralled me (Mr. Thornton?)--I read a paper copy of Wives and Daughters and loved it, but this was better. Elizabeth Gaskell is great at detail so that you really enter her Victorian setting. Also, the examination of class and poverty in the book was honest and complex and very interesting to me. Of course, what really sucked me in was the romantic storyline. The negatives would be several long slow death scenes with terribly cheesy dialogue, and also sometimes the narrator's accent was difficult to understand. Yet I INHALED this book.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Overall

3 out of 5 stars

Performance

2 out of 5 stars

Story

4 out of 5 stars

Sasha

11-11-11

A better read than a listen

North and South, Elizabeth Gaskell's exploration of the cultures of the north and south of England in the late 19th century is still fresh, if somewhat poorly served by a well enunciated if lack-luster reading.

2 of 3 people found this review helpful

Overall

1 out of 5 stars

Theresa S

28-03-09

Narration not to my liking

I started this book on a long drive and I tried I really tried. On/off quite a few times, but I just could not get past the narration. Margaret sounds like she's got a cold and I just could not go on. So I have bought this audible book but am never likely to enjoy it as others here who have persevered with the narrator. I just couldn't bear it even though I really wanted to. I look forward another version with another narrator.

2 of 3 people found this review helpful

Overall

5 out of 5 stars

Mary

12-01-09

AWESOME

I almost didn't get this version for the complaints about the reader. I found he was incredibly good and felt like he differentiated speakers very adeptly. I cannot imagine a better book or a better reader...I finished it in a week or so because I couldn't "put it down". LOVE IT! Better than the BBC movie, although it's worth seeing too.